


Support

by BarbaLovesCarisi (CaptainAmericasShield)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: M/M, Married Barisi, No I'm not salty that the squad still doesn't respect Sonny, Rafael Barba is a supportive husband, Sonny is just trying his best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28400559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainAmericasShield/pseuds/BarbaLovesCarisi
Summary: Sonny has a difficult day in court. Rafael returns from a work trip and does what he can to encourage and support his husband.  Based on the prompt 'Fluffy story about one of the boys having a very bad day.'
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25
Collections: Barisi Holiday Exchange 2020





	Support

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LoveMeSomeRafael](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveMeSomeRafael/gifts).



> Be proud of me, I actually wrote something (mostly) fluffy for once.
> 
> For LoveMeSomeRafael - I hope you like it :)
> 
> Thank you mgarner for the beta, I appreciate you so much :)

**(13:18) Jury just came back. You’re coming home tonight, right?**

Rafael saw the text from Sonny and unlocked his phone to type a reply. He knew his husband had just wrapped up his first trial, but hadn’t expected the jury to come back as quickly as it did. He hated that he couldn’t be there to support him, but his work called him away. He was thankful that he was able to come back earlier than he originally thought.

_(13:20) What was the verdict? I’m on my way home right now_ mi sol _, I’ll be home later tonight._

**(13:25) Not guilty. I hate it. I feel like I failed the victim.**

_(13:28) Dominick, I’m so sorry. I know how much it can hurt when you lose trials you were confident about going in. Please try not to beat yourself up about this, okay? I land in about two hours, then I’ll be home about 45 minutes after that. We can talk more in person when I get home._

**(13:30) Thank you Rafa, I appreciate that. I can come pick you up from the airport if that would be easier.**

_(13:32) Whatever is easiest for you_ mi sol _. If you don’t feel like driving out, I can call an Uber._

**(13:33) I just want to see you. I can come pick you up. Let me know when you land and I can come into the lobby and wait for you.**

_(13:35) I will. I’ve missed you._

**(13:36) I’ve missed you too.**

The rest of the flight went by uneventfully. Rafael was anxious to get home to his husband. When the plane finally landed and pulled up to the gate, Rafael pulled out his phone and texted Sonny.

_(15:45) Just pulled up to the gate. I only checked one bag - hopefully it won’t take too long to get it._

**(15:48) I’m in the lobby when you get there.**

Rafael put his phone away and grabbed his carry-on. He walked off the plane and into the airport, and immediately headed for the lobby. He hadn’t seen his husband in person in over a month, and was more than looking forward to seeing him again.

He saw Sonny the moment he walked into the lobby and quickly walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around him and leaned up to kiss him. When they pulled apart to take a breath, Rafael looked up and smiled, placing a hand on the side of Sonny’s face.

“It’s good to see you _mi sol_ ,” Rafael said softly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too love,” Sonny said, kissing the top of his head and pulling him close. 

“I’m sorry about the trial. I know how hard it is to lose.”

Sonny nodded, then grabbed Rafael’s hand and squeezed it. “Thank you Rafa,” he said softly, as they started walking towards baggage claim.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not now. We can talk about it tonight.”

“I guess we’ll have a lot to talk about tonight,” Rafael said, turning his head and tilting it up to press a quick kiss to Sonny’s cheek.

Sonny hummed softly and let go of Rafael’s hand, moving to wrap an arm around him. “I guess you’re right.”

It didn’t take long for Rafael’s bag to emerge on the carousel. Sonny grabbed it and walked out to the car with Rafael, pulling the other man’s suitcase behind him.

“Dominick,” Rafael said as they walked to the car, “you didn’t have to take that. I would have been fine with it.”

Sonny smiled softly. “You know I don’t mind.”

“You’re a good husband, you know that?”

Sonny chuckled softly. “I try.”

When they got to the car, Sonny opened the passenger side door for Rafael, then threw his bag in the back of the car before walking to the other side of the car and getting in the drivers side. He started the car, and started the drive towards their apartment.

“It’s good to see you _mi sol_ ,” Rafael said softly, turning his head to look at Sonny.

“It’s good to see you too Rafa. I know it was only a month, but it honestly felt like longer.”

“Usually I don’t mind these long trips, but I will admit they’re much more difficult when I have someone at home I’m missing.”

Sonny blushed slightly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

They finished the trip in relative silence, enjoying each other's company. When they got home, Sonny took Rafael’s bag and put it in the bedroom, then walked back out to the kitchen, where Rafael was sitting at the bar.

“Do you want to order some food?”

Rafael stood up and walked over to him. “Sounds good to me,” he said, wrapping his arms around him and tilting his head up to kiss him.

“Any preference?” Sonny asked, kissing him back, then pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Rafael shook his head. “You can pick. I don’t really have a preference. Besides, you’re the one that had a bad day.”

They ended up ordering Thai food. They ate in silence, enjoying each other’s company. Rafael was just happy to be home and with his husband again.

When they finished eating, Rafael and Sonny both worked to clean up the kitchen, then went to change into pajamas and climbed into bed. Rafael decided unpacking could wait. There was nothing in his suitcase that needed to immediately be taken out.

They crawled under the covers, laying down and turning to face each other. Rafael propped himself on one elbow. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Sonny sighed. He knew he should, and he knew Rafael would be the best person to talk to about it with. “I probably should, shouldn’t I?”

“Only if you want to _mi sol_. We can wait until the morning if you would rather do that.”

“I’d honestly rather talk about it now.”

“I do think it would help,” Rafael said with a reassuring smile. “What happened?”

“I had two witnesses change their stories and end up testifying for the defense. The defense attorney grilled the victim and tried to paint her as an unreliable witness, and I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to protect her. Jury was back in less than an hour with a not guilty verdict. Maybe I wasn’t meant to do this. Maybe I should go back to being a detective. That is, if they would even want me back. Either way, they still probably wouldn’t respect me. I got in a fight with Amanda a couple of weeks ago because she was upset I left her,” Sonny paused. “Sorry for venting, I’ve just been overwhelmed lately, and I guess it’s getting to my head.”

“Sometimes you just need to vent. I don’t blame you. I know how overwhelming that job can be, believe me. You’re still fairly new to this, you’re still finding your footing. You’re an intelligent man, Dominick. I know it’s hard for you right now, but it will get better, I promise. Did the witnesses say why they changed their stories last minute?”

Sonny shook his head. “They just came to me and said they didn’t want to testify anymore. You can imagine how surprised I was when the defense attorney called them up as witnesses.”

“I’m sure that caught you off guard. Listen _mi sol_. I know this is overwhelming for you, believe me, I’ve been there. Let me help you. Let me be here for you. I hopefully won’t have to travel for work, but you know that if I do, I will always be available by phone. I know it’s not the same thing as being here in person, but I just want to be here for you in any way I can. I hate that people still aren’t respecting you. I don’t think they truly understand how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are.”

“They’ve never respected me, Raf. I’ve been working with them for over five years, and they have not once respected me. I was always ‘the new guy,’ I was always told I was a cop not a lawyer, now I’m someone they still expect to act as a cop, even though that’s not who I am anymore. I feel like they don’t trust me. I feel like they don’t believe in me. I feel like I can’t do my job when the people I’m working with don’t trust that I know what I’m doing.”

“I would say they’re still getting used to you in this new position, but you’ve been there for over a year, they shouldn’t still be getting used to this. I doubt you’ve done anything to lose their trust or their respect. I don’t blame you for feeling hurt by this.”

“How long did it take them to respect you?”

Rafael hesitated before responding. “I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think it took them too long. I do know that they didn’t like me too much when they first met me.”

“What is it about me then? Why can’t they learn to respect me? What do I need to do?”

“Dominick, _mi sol_ , keep being yourself, keep doing what you’re doing. If they don’t respect you, that has nothing to do with you, it has everything to do with them. If they can’t understand that you did what you wanted to do, if they can’t respect the decision you’ve made, that’s their problem. You’re a good man Dominick. You’re intelligent, you’re a fast learner, and you’re empathetic - you fight for the victims. Please don’t let this discourage you. I hope you know that no matter what, I will always have your back, and I will always support you.”

Sonny nodded. “Thank you Rafa, that means a lot,” he said, laying back and smiling softly up at Rafael.

Rafael laid down and draped an arm across Sonny’s chest, tilting his head up to kiss him. “I love you Dominick,” he said, flashing a comforting smile at the other man.

“I love you too Rafa,” Sonny responded, wrapping an arm around Rafael and pulling him close.

“Good night _mi sol_.”

“Good night love.”

Sonny closed his eyes and smiled to himself. He knew that even if he didn’t have the respect and support of his former squad, he would always have his husband, encouraging him and supporting him no matter what, and for that, he would forever be grateful.


End file.
